1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plug device in which a plug body unit is detachably attached to the opening portion of a channel within an endoscope, and an endoscope equipped with this plug device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Until now, in the medical field, an insertion part of an endoscope is inserted into the inside of the body of a patient to perform not only the observation of the inside of the body but also various kinds of treatment on the parts being observed. Specifically, various kinds of treatment, such as incision or collection of observed parts, is performed by inserting treatment tools, such as forceps and an incision implement, through a forceps channel within the insertion part from a forceps port opening provided at a manipulating part of the endoscope, and projecting the treatment tools from the tip of the insertion part.
A forceps plug through which a treatment tool can be inserted, when a treatment is performed, is attached to the forceps port opening. This forceps plug prevents body fluid, filth, air, or the like flowing back within the forceps channel and leaking out to the outside from the forceps port opening, due to changes in internal pressure within the body. As such a forceps plug, a disposable forceps plug which is unreusable so as to be replaced with a new one for each use from a viewpoint of preventing the infection caused by the adhesion of body fluid or the like is generally known.
JP2008-043774A and JP2005-224529A disclose a forceps plug that becomes removable from the forceps port opening by breaking a portion of the plug body unit. In the forceps plugs of JP2008-043774A and JP2005-224529A, reuse becomes impossible because the removal from the forceps port opening is accompanied by destruction. As a result, a used forceps plug is prevented from being erroneously reused.